Mayumi Itsuwa

Mayumi Itsuwa
Born	January 24, 1951 (1951-01-24) (age 60)
Origin	Nakano, Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Japanese pop, folk, kayōkyoku, pop
Occupations	Singer, composer, lyricist, keyboardist
Instruments	Vocals Piano
Website	itsuwamayumi.com

Mayumi Itsuwa (五輪 真弓, Itsuwa Mayumi^?) (born January 24, 1951) is a Japanese vocalist, composer, lyricist, and keyboardist who made her debut in 1972.

Her first studio album entitled Shoujo was recorded in Los Angeles, produced by GRAMMY Award winner John Fischbach, with distinguished musicians such as David Campbell, Carole King and Charles Larkey who was King's husband at that time. Owing to her introspective compositions, Itsuwa was often nicknamed "Japanese Carole King", along with other Japanese singer-songwriters like Yumi Matsutoya (who had worked under her birth name "Yumi Arai" during the mid 1970s) and Minako Yoshida.

Itsuwa has gained moderate success on the Japanese albums chart in her early career, and received massive popularity and acclaim through a single "Koibito yo" released in 1980. A song topped the Japan's Oricon chart for three consecutive weeks, and won the 22nd Japan Record Award for "Gold Prize" in a same year.^[1][2] It was covered by the country's legendary singers including Hibari Misora and Noriko Awaya in later years, and became a signature song for Itsuwa.

After "Koibito yo" became a hit, Itsuwa gained popularity also in non-Japanese Asian countries during the 1980s.

In Indonesia,"Kokoro No Tomo" and "Amayadori" become the most popular songs ever released by her. In 2006, Mayumi Itsuwa and Delon Thamrin recorded an Indonesian and Japanese version of the song. This was later included on the 2006 compilation album "Duet Love Songs".

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart positions
		JP [3]
1972	Shoujo (少女?)	6
1973	Kaze no Nai Sekai (風のない世界?)	14
1974	Fuyuzareta Machi (冬ざれた街?)	9
	Toki wo Mitsumete (時をみつめて?)	25
1975	Hontou no Koto wo Ieba (本当のことをいえば?)	9
	Mayumity (Utsuro na Ai) (MAYUMITY・うつろな愛?)	37
1977	Etranger (えとらんぜ, Etoranze?)	34
	Aozora (蒼空?)	50
1978	Itsuwa Mayumi (五輪真弓?)	9
	Nokoribi (残り火?)	17
1979	Kiro (岐路?)	17
1980	Koibito yo (恋人よ?)	1
1981	Shunshu (春愁?)	9
	Collection (cassette only, compilation)	17
	Marionette	5
1982	Collection '82 (compilation)	64
	Shiosai (潮騒?)	6
1983	Live '83	32
	Mado (窓?)	15
1984	Atsui Sayonara (熱いさよなら?)	15
1985	Best (compilation, cassette only)	33
	Kaze no Uta (風の詩?)	31
1986	Best Collection (compilation, compact disc only)	64
	Toki no Nagare ni (時の流れに?)	12
	Best Selection (compilation, cassette only)	36
1987	Wind and Roses	31
	Singles (compilation)	67
1988	Nostalgie	29
1989	New Best Selection (compilation)	64
1990	Na mo Naki Michi (名もなき道?)	47
1991	Anniversary Eve	82
1992	The Memorial Album	70

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

References

1. ^ "List of number-one hits on the Japanese Oricon Weekly Singles Chart". http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~hbr/JP1_e.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-28. 
2. ^ Japan Composer's Association "History of the Japan Record Awards - List of the 22nd Award Winners" (in Japanese). http://www.jacompa.or.jp/rekishi/d1981.htm Japan Composer's Association. Retrieved 2008-12-28. 
3. ^ Yamachan Land (Japan's charts archives) - Albums Chart Daijiten - "List of the Oricon Top 100 Charting Albums by Mayumi Itsuwa". http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamag/album/al_ituwa.html Yamachan Land (Japan's charts archives) - Albums Chart Daijiten -. Retrieved 2008-12-13. 

Persondata
Name	Itsuwa Mayumi
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Date of birth	1951-01-24
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